PARK CITY, UTAH (January 19, 2022) — USA Nordic Sport announced today its nominations for the U.S. Olympic Nordic Combined Team that will represent Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. Nominations are to be confirmed by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee when it formally announces the U.S. Olympic Team.
Athletes to Watch
The team will be headlined by three-time Olympian Taylor Fletcher, who looks for his first Olympic podium. Fletcher’s top finishes at the Olympics include a sixth-place finish in the Team Large Hill/4x5km competition at the Sochi Games in 2014, along with a 20th place finish in the Large Hill/10km Individual competition and a 33rd place finish in the Normal Hill/10km in Sochi. Fletcher will be joined by Ben Loomis, a one-time Olympian who will also be looking for his first Olympic podium. At the Pyeongchang Olympics in 2018, Loomis carded a 10th place finish in the Team Large Hill/4x5km competition, 40th in the Large Hill/10km Individual competition and 41st in the Normal Hill/10km Individual competition.
Selection Process
The selection process for nordic combined includes results from both domestic and international competitions. The first spot on the U.S. Olympic Nordic Combined Team is decided by the winner of the Olympic Trials event in Lake Placid, New York on December 25, 2022. Additional spots were selected based on athletes’ results at both the FIS World Cup and Continental Cup levels during this winter’s qualification period.
Olympic Competition Schedule
Nordic Combined has an action-packed schedule at the 2022 Games. The first of three medal events kick off on Wednesday, February 9, with the Individual Gunderson Normal Hill/10km competition, followed by the Individual Gunderson Large Hill/10km on Tuesday, February 15. The final event –Team Gunderson Large Hill/4x5km – is scheduled for Thursday, February 17.
2022 U.S. OLYMPIC NORDIC COMBINED TEAM
(Name; hometown, birthday; club; past Olympics)
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Taylor Fletcher, Steamboat Springs, Colorado; 5/11/90; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (Olympics: 2010, 2014, 2018)
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Ben Loomis, Eau Claire, Wisconsin; 6/9/98; Flying Eagles Ski Club (Olympics: 2018)
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Jasper Good, Steamboat Springs, Colorado; 5/10/96; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (Olympics: 2018)
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*Jared Shumate, Park City, Utah; 3/6/99; Park City Ski and Snowboard
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*Stephen Schumann, Park City, Utah; 3/14/00; Park City Ski and Snowboard
*Denotes first-time Olympian
Watch Team USA compete on the networks of NBC throughout the Olympics, February 4-20, 2022.
FOLLOW THE TEAM
Instagram: @usanordic
Facebook: @USANordic
Twitter: @usanordic
ATHLETE QUOTES:
Taylor Fletcher
“Getting named to my fourth Olympic team after winning the Olympic Trials is a big motivation for me. As the veteran athlete of the U.S. Nordic Combined Olympic Team, I want to make the most of this Olympics with my best results. Knowing that my spot is secure will allow me to focus on training and competition to make sure I am in the best form going into Beijing 2022. The Olympics are always a big focus and have been since I started the sport many many years ago. I feel confident I can go there and have my best results yet. We will have a young team but a team for the future, which is very exciting. Look out for nordic combined in the coming weeks!”
Ben Loomis
“I am extremely proud to have been named to the 2022 Olympic Team. It will be a true honor to represent both USA Nordic and the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program in Beijing. Amongst the current state of COVID-19, it will be great to bring the world together in a safe manner and showcase what the Olympics are all about. I couldn’t be more excited to have a team of both experienced Olympians and athletes heading to their first games alongside me in Beijing.”
Jasper Good
“I am incredibly honored and excited to be named to the 2022 U.S. Olympic Team. Representing Team USA at this Games means even more to me as a member of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP). The support and camaraderie I have gained from WCAP have helped me reach new levels. It will be an honor to represent the U.S. with this added factor. I am really excited about how much progression our team has made and can’t wait to perform with my team in Beijing!”
Jared Shumate
“I am honored to be selected to represent the USA at the 2022 Olympics. It has been a goal of mine since I was a kid to compete at the Olympics, and I am overjoyed to officially be selected to my first Olympic team. I feel like I have made some big steps forward in the last few months, including scoring my first World Cup points in Predazzo, Italy, which qualified me for the team, and I am looking forward to keeping the momentum going into Beijing! I’m excited to compete with the rest of my teammates at the highest level of sport and am looking forward to experiencing my first Olympic Games, even though COVID is making these games a bit different than previous years. In the weeks leading up to the Olympics, the goal is to stay healthy and train hard!”
Stephen Schumann
“I’m beyond excited for the opportunity to represent the USA at the upcoming Olympics in Beijing. It has been a dream of mine to compete at the Olympics since I first stepped on a ski jump at 5 years old. To think that the dream I had as a little kid is coming true 16 years later is surreal, and the fact that I get to do it with some of my best friends makes it so much better. I could not be more excited! Thank you so much to everyone who has believed in me and helped me get to this point through all the setbacks and hard times; it wouldn’t have been possible without you. Now, time to buckle down and polish things up before heading to Beijing!”
COACH QUOTES:
Nick Hendrickson – Men’s Nordic Combined Team Director
“With the nomination of our 2022 Olympic Team, I am extremely excited to have every one of these athletes selected to represent the USA in Beijing. I am proud of each individual for their accomplishments throughout the qualification process, but I am most proud of the teamwork that has been invested behind the scenes to raise our competition level. Collectively, our team is composed of four-time Olympic veterans, two-time Olympians, as well as first-timers; we have a lot of both experience and opportunity in this group of talented guys. The team momentum that we have at the moment is contagious and we can’t wait to keep it rolling into Beijing!”
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About USA Nordic
USA Nordic is the national leadership organization for Nordic combined and ski jumping in the United States, providing support and guidance to the nations’ clubs and coaches while overseeing the national elite teams. More information can be found at usanordic.org or its social media channels @usanordic.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Riley Elliott
Nordic Combined/Ski Jumping Olympic Press Officer
riley@usanordic.org
